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If a driver strikes you while you are traveling as a pedestrian in Denver, Colorado, you could suffer life-changing physical and psychological injuries. Pedestrian accidents are extremely costly for victims in more ways than one. If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident, please contact our Denver Pedestrian Accident Lawyer for a free consultation with one of our experienced Denver accident attorneys. You may be eligible for financial compensation for your past and future losses.
Denver has an enormous amount of pedestrian activity as one of the most populated cities in Colorado. Tourists and residents alike take to the streets and sidewalks to get around in an eco-friendly way. Unfortunately, being a pedestrian is getting more and more dangerous each year due to hazards such as distracted driving.
According to the most recent data from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 7,318 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S., accounting for approximately 18% of all motor vehicle fatalities. While this marks a 5.4% decrease from the previous year, the numbers remain significantly elevated compared to past decades, underscoring a sustained rise in pedestrian deaths nationwide. In Colorado, pedestrian fatalities also remain high, with 111 deaths reported, slightly down from the previous data, yet still among the highest yearly totals the state has seen. The GHSA report identifies Colorado as one of several states where pedestrian safety continues to pose a critical challenge.
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One of the many reasons why it is important to hire a Denver personal injury lawyer after a pedestrian accident is the severity of the injuries often associated with these collisions. In a crash between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian, the vehicle always wins. The driver of the car will most likely escape without a scratch, while you could be sent to the hospital with catastrophic injuries. Being hit by a car can cause significant injuries to virtually any part of your body. Common complaints include:
A pedestrian can suffer serious injuries upon initial impact with the bumper or hood of the vehicle. Then, if the car strikes the pedestrian’s legs, the body is often folded forward, causing a secondary impact between the victim’s head or chest and the windshield or top of the car. Finally, the pedestrian is often thrown, bounced or propelled off of the vehicle to land in the road – resulting in injuries from a third impact. It is easy to see from the dynamics of these accidents why pedestrians often have life-changing injuries.
The number of pedestrian accidents in Colorado would be drastically reduced if driver errors were eliminated. Driver mistakes are the number one cause of pedestrian-vehicle collisions throughout the U.S. Drivers are often guilty of overestimating their abilities, trying to multitask behind the wheel and breaking traffic laws. Sadly, these mistakes can lead to pedestrian injuries and deaths.
The most common causes of pedestrian accidents in Denver, Colorado include:
These are all preventable errors that can be avoided if a driver obeys Colorado’s roadway rules and behaves prudently behind the wheel. Other common causes of pedestrian accidents in Denver include poorly designed crosswalks, lack of pedestrian passageways and pedestrian error.
Pedestrian safety is governed by a combination of state statutes and municipal codes designed to reduce injury and clarify liability in accidents. In Colorado, both drivers and pedestrians share legal duties; however, pedestrians are often more vulnerable, making their rights critically protected under the law. The following laws define how pedestrians and drivers must behave in traffic interactions.
Pedestrians in Denver and across the state are granted specific right-of-way protections:
Pedestrians must also follow rules to stay safe and reduce liability. The CDOT pedestrian safety guide outlines best practices:
Drivers in Colorado have a legal duty to prioritize pedestrian safety at all times. Motorists must:
Failing to follow these responsibilities can lead to severe consequences—not only for the pedestrian but also for the driver’s liability and legal exposure.
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When determining liability (legal responsibility) for a pedestrian accident, it is necessary to look at the fault law in the state where the accident took place. There are fault and no-fault states. Colorado is a fault car accident state, meaning the person who caused the collision must pay for the injuries and losses suffered.
If it were a no-fault state, on the other hand, fault would be irrelevant, as all victims would file first-party insurance claims regardless of fault. The party that is liable for your pedestrian accident could be a driver, the City of Denver, a property owner or a combination of parties. The answer will depend on the cause of the collision.
The most common defendant named in a pedestrian accident lawsuit is the driver of the motor vehicle. Driver errors cause thousands of pedestrian collisions each year. If you believe the driver that struck you was violating a traffic law at the time of the crash, you can file a claim with his or her insurance company in Colorado.
However, it is also possible – though less common – for a third party to be liable. A third party is someone who was not directly involved in the crash but still contributed through some act of negligence. For example, the city or state could be liable for your accident if it was caused wholly or in part by a sidewalk defect, a lack of pedestrian bridges, a malfunctioning traffic control signal or another type of road hazard.
To find out if you can hold a third party liable instead of or in addition to the driver that hit you, consult with an attorney at Dormer Harpring. We will launch a comprehensive investigation of the accident to determine all of the at-fault parties. We can assist you if you need to bring a lawsuit against a driver’s employer, the manufacturer of a defective vehicle part, the agency involved in designing the road or other third parties.
While you cannot control the actions and behaviors of motor vehicle drivers, you can improve your safety as a pedestrian by staying vigilant when walking or jogging around Colorado – especially in busy cities like Denver. Use the following pedestrian safety tips to decrease your risk of getting into an accident:
Watching where you’re walking, paying attention at all times and obeying Colorado’s pedestrian traffic laws can decrease your risk of getting injured in a pedestrian accident. Unfortunately, even the most cautious pedestrian can still become the victim of a negligent or reckless driver. If you’ve been hit by a car in Denver, you have rights.
Denver Personal Injury Attorney
Fighting for Justice, Winning Against the Odds
Sean Dormer has built his career on standing up to powerful corporations and insurance companies to get justice for the injured. With a relentless trial-focused approach, he has secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for clients who were turned away by other firms. His expertise has led him to speak at statewide legal conferences and advocate for fairer personal injury laws in Colorado.
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If you’ve suffered a pedestrian accident injury, please don’t hesitate to contact the Denver personal injury lawyers at Dormer Harpring. We offer free initial consultations, where we will ask you questions about your accident and give you sound legal advice. If we believe your case has merit, we may offer to represent you during an insurance claim or injury lawsuit.
We will fight relentlessly on your behalf to advocate for the best possible results, making sure your family has what it needs to move forward. Call (303) 747-4404 or contact us online today to schedule a free case review in Denver.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney, K.C. Harpring, a Denver personal injury attorney with extensive legal expertise.
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